Improvement in umbrella-runners



UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOHN M. BURKERI, or SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN UlVlBRELLA-RUNNERS.,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 169,084, dated October 26, 1875; application filed August 28, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. BURKERT, of Savannah, county of Ohatham, State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvedescription of my invention sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

Figure 1 illustrates my invention applied to an um hrella-stick; Fig. 2, a perspective of the runner detached; Fig. 3, an elevation showing its opposite side, and Fig. 4 the crownpiece detached.

A represents the stick of an umbrella, and B my improved sleeve or runner applied thereto. This runner has not the usual longitudinal slit therein, as I use no wire spring in my stick requiring such a slit; but it has, near both its upper and lower ends, a horizontal slot or slit, 0, opening out into a mouth or entrance slot or slit, d. These slits, which are in the nature of bayonetjoints, are intended to engage, respectively, with the pins 0, driven into the stick or stock of the umbrella, there being, as will now be seen, no necessity for weakening the stick by cutting any grooves or slits therein for springs, as no springs are used or needed. The grooved crown-piece f, to which the stretchers of the umbrella are connected, is not, as in ordinary umbrellas, secured rigidly to the runner; but,

on the contrary, it surrounds it loosely, so that either may be turned around a short-distance relatively to each other, in order to permit the looking or unlocking of the sleeve or runner upon the pins 6. A pin or stop, g, on the runner, entering a short notch or rabbet, h, on the edge of the crown-piece, properly limits the extent of this turning motion, and arib, i, or a pin or pins on the opposite edge of the crown-piece,prevents its slipping out of place 011 the runner.

When the umbrella is open, and it is desired to close it, the turning of the handle to release the joint will be sure to let the runner fall at once, as there is nothing to obstruct its sliding freely down the stick. This is of itself a great improvement over the old construction, as it entirely gets rid of the frequent catching of the spring against the runner, preventing the closing of the umbrella until after repeated efforts and the taxing of ones patience.

My device is simple, cheap, durable, and

unusually efficient, and it effects much saving in wear and in cost of repairs.

The bayonet slotor joint in the runner may vary in form from that shown in the drawings, so long as it efi'ects the desired purpose of holding the parts to their opened or closed position, and that portion of the metal which is marked it may, if desired, be strengthened or re-enforced.

The stop 9 is a portion of the same strip or wire which is extended and brazed or secured to the interior of the tongue of the upper bayonet-joint, to re-enforce and strengthen it, and thisstrip thus serves the double purpose of a stop and of a strengthener, and at the same time avoids the defective practice of inserting a pin in a weak hole in the thin metal of the runner, and which is readily forced out by any undue demand upon it.

I do not claim a runner or slide composed of an inner and outer case, the one sliding on the other, and through the notch-rin g of which a stud for interlocking with a bayonet-joint must first pass, and in which a pin on the inner case projects through a slot in the outer case, to limit therotation; nor do I claim a loose ringirecessed in the body of the runner, and located beneath the strengthener-ring, the latter being secured to the runner at its top, and the runner having no bayonet-joints; nor do I claim a spring of any sort in connection with the runner, as I am aware that such constructions have been heretofore made or devised.

I am also aware that umbrella-runners have been made having bayonet slots to engage with studs on the stick, and having the notchring placed loosely to rotate thereon and be,

low the upper bayonet-joint, obviating the necessity of having the stud pass through the notch-ring; but

What I do claim is as follows:

1. The runner B, having bayonet-slots d c and stop g, and provided with the revolving erown-piecef, having a rabbet, h, all combined and serving, also, as a positive stop to limit A and arranged substantially as and for the purthe rotary movement ofthe runner within the pose set forth. crown-piece or stretcher-ring.

2. The described runner-tube, having its upper bayonet-notch re-enforeed by a. strip or JOHN M. BURKERT.

wire brazed or secured to its outer surface, Witnesses: i such strip or wire having one of its ends ex- DE LAGY CHANDLER, tending downward, as shown and described, JULIUS KAUFMANN. 

